'Smoker' detained on Emirates flight

A German man who allegedly had to be restrained on an international flight after assaulting crew members who tried to stop him smoking has been released from police custody in Queensland.

Mathias Jorg, 54, was taken into police custody in Brisbane on Thursday following the incident, which reportedly happened on an Emirates flight from Singapore to Brisbane.

He appeared in prison-issue clothes with both wrists bandaged in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with smoking on an aircraft and assaulting two aircrew.

Jorg initially refused to surrender his passport to federal police to secure bail.

He told the magistrate via a German interpreter he didn't trust them as he had suffered damage to his wrists.

However, the prisoner changed his mind when told he would be held in custody unless he gave up his passport.

The man also promised not to be within 100 metres of an international airport.

He was granted bail and his case was adjourned to January 10.

A photograph taken by another passenger and posted online shows a man, presumed to be Jorg, in a white shirt, his arms behind his back and his legs bound together.